MARK WALSH is hoping to continue his push back up the PDC Order of Merit in 2008.
Walsh has returned to top form in the latter part of 2007, including a semi-final appearance at the PartyPoker.net German Darts Championship.
He lost to Phil Taylor on that day and was also defeated by the Stoke legend in the Ladbrokes.com World Darts Championship on Saturday.
Walsh led the 13-time World Champion 3-2 before Taylor showed his champion qualities to raise his game with six successive legs to take the victory.
"I'm gutted with the result," admitted Walsh.
"When I was 3-2 up in sets I thought I had a really good chance to beat Phil and I was happy with my first five sets.
"He wasn't on top form and it was now or never for me, but unfortunately in the last two sets I wasn't in it at all.
"I kept on throwing high, perhaps I was trying too hard but that I really enjoyed it, and to take the best darts player in the world to the final set is unbelievable."
Walsh revealed recently that he had overcome dartitis, which struck him down during 2006 and led to the former UK Open runner-up losing to unknown Dutch qualifier Rico Vonck in last year's World Championship.
He had dropped out of the world's top 32, but is now back on the rise and hoping to continue that progress next year.
"Last year I had dartitis and came to simply pick the cheque up at the World Championship," he added.
"I had no expectation of winning the first round, and had no confidence or form and couldn't let go of my dart.
"After that I was going to give up darts but I had a lot of encouragement from people and battled through it. Now I've started hitting a bit of form.
"After reaching the semi-finals in Germany I moved back into the top 32 and now all I can see is myself going up.
"My form is good, I'm playing well enough and I haven't got much money to defend on the Order of Merit either."